When do i run a dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers have coils inside that can freeze over in cold temperatures. The outside air will play a major role in when your dehumidifier runs and if you even need to get one in the first place. It may not be apparent at first as the dehumidifier will spend more time running during the night and early morning before you awaken than during the day.

Just be mindful that it can take a toll on your electricity bill during those times of the season. If the mold is in the basement, there are several methods to get rid of the mold besides just the dehumidifier.

Use this article as a guide to help you purify the air in your basement and get rid of the mold. However, these units are built to be used at home rather than in the basement.

We, therefore, recommend that you purchase a hygrometer to help accurately measure the relative humidity in the basement. Nevertheless, some seasons have more dry air than others, and humidity might be lower than some other seasons. In a better perspective, winter generally has colder and drier air than in summer. As a result of this, there would come a time when you do not need to run a dehumidifier during winter.

However, this does not mean that humidity cannot be higher than recommended during the winter period, so keep watch. Summer seasons, on the other hand, have high humidity, and you would need to run the dehumidifier more often to compensate for this.

Read Also: Do humidifiers use a lot of electricity? The level of humidity in a basement should perform just enough to keep humidity at a safe level. Basements are more exposed to a constant source of moisture from the external environment; therefore, your dehumidifier should run very frequently. This can be easily done with units that have a humidistat, which allows you to set precise relative humidity levels that it should maintain, after which it turns off.

As soon as there is a spike in humidity again, the humidifier starts to run. Also, there is a chance that the dehumidifier never shuts off, and if you encounter this, it means that there is possibly air leakage that allows more moisture into the basement. When this happens, your dehumidifier has to run much longer and also harder than it normally would, and as a result, cost you more in electric bills. For starters, we recommend an automatic threshold of 30 percent humidity. Next, if you happen to notice the room is cold but still develops high humidity, then run a heater for a few hours each day.

This will help regulate the temperature in the room and make it a little easier to control the relative humidity. Notice signs of mold growth? Kill it immediately with natural fungicides like white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide , or rubbing alcohol. Next, use a dehumidifier to help dry the room completely. This will ensure the nasty mold will not continue to spread. Now you know how to properly run your dehumidifier in winter.

Keep reading to learn a few more tips on how to successfully use dehumidifiers. Can you run a dehumidifier all the time? Yes and no. The answer actually depends on a few factors:. Did you know? Electric dehumidifiers can be left for a long time before their tray is full of water.

Once the beads are too wet to use, you can plug them in to dry out the desiccants inside. Then, unplug the dehumidifier and put it back where it was before.

If you run a dehumidifier all the time, you might actually make the room too dry. In fact, much of the humidity is based on where you live and how much insulation your home has. For instance, if your bedroom is close to the basement, you may even want to set up a small humidifier next to the bed! Need some more helpful tips? Some dehumidifiers have another alternative in a continuous pump connected to the floor drain. It drains the water as it accumulates in the tank. Read our Dehumidifier vs Air Purifier Comparison.

No, there is no need to keep the dehumidifier running constantly. Besides, if you run a dehumidifier continuously, remember that its tank will keep filling. So the unit should either have an auto shut-off feature or a pump to drain the water automatically. There, however, are a few points worth knowing before opting to leave it on all night. The switch automatically shuts the unit off after removing the desired moisture from the air.

The compressor will anyway automatically switch on once the humidity level exceeds the selected setting. As mentioned earlier, the dehumidifier should have a tank with sufficient capacity for continuous use to prevent a room full of water. After all, cold winter air is drier than summer air.

Most of the latest models have a humidistat.